death via nitrate

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fatsolomon

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MFK Member
Sep 28, 2005
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new hampshire
at what point does nitrate kill freshwater fish?
at what point does nitrate kill saltwater fish?
and lastly the same for corals like polyps and muchrooms.
 
ok how about, does nitrate kill fish?
 
Howdy,

I think the reason why you haven't gotten any replies, yet, is the general nature of your question (how about exposure time and species differences) and the fact that we don't push the limits to lethality. After all, we want to have happy fish.

As a general answer, the lower the nitrate levels the better. Keep them below 20 mg/l and your fish will be fine, at least regarding nitrate levels. Most fish can tolerate levels up to 50 mg/l without problems. Levels of 100 mg/l and above cause a fading of colors and decreased health. If you keep fish under these conditions long-term, their total life-expectancy will decrease. Although many fish can survive above 100 mg/l, it can acutely, severely harm them if you transfer them into these conditions from low-nitrate water. Under all circumstances should you avoid chronic exposure to these high levels.

What are your nitrate levels? And how often do you measure them, fatsolomon?

HarleyK
 
The reverse is also true too. a fish that has been kept in bad conditions(high nitrate)can be killed by starting up waterchanges too quickly.Im not saying you should leave them that way but build up waterchanges slowly
 
Okay, nitrates in freshwater seldom kill on their own but lead to poor general health and lethal infections by diseases, I don't know about salt or corals. It depends on your fish as to the levels, pupfish can live in a nitrate soup but many characins sicken and get cataracts once you start reaching 40-60ppm if they are kept in it for any extended period. The most common early symptoms of nitrate poisoning is gasping with lilac colored gills, fin edges getting whitish and ragged, unhealing scratches, listless behavior, loss of appettite, and a tendency for fungal diseases to hit everything in the tank all at once. Livebearers in high nitrate levels tend to have poor survival rates in the broods and a high rate of malformed young. Egg layers tend to stop breeding and when they do spawn most eggs die before hatching, those that hatch often produce cripples, and even the normal looking ones seldom survive to adulthood.
 
guppy said:
Okay, nitrates in freshwater seldom kill on their own but lead to poor general health and lethal infections by diseases, I don't know about salt or corals. It depends on your fish as to the levels, pupfish can live in a nitrate soup but many characins sicken and get cataracts once you start reaching 40-60ppm if they are kept in it for any extended period. The most common early symptoms of nitrate poisoning is gasping with lilac colored gills, fin edges getting whitish and ragged, unhealing scratches, listless behavior, loss of appettite, and a tendency for fungal diseases to hit everything in the tank all at once. Livebearers in high nitrate levels tend to have poor survival rates in the broods and a high rate of malformed young. Egg layers tend to stop breeding and when they do spawn most eggs die before hatching, those that hatch often produce cripples, and even the normal looking ones seldom survive to adulthood.
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the gills turn brown too right? and "stubby"?
 
When your nitrates go up, thats a sign and a hint to change your water. I change my water once a week unless I see the nitrates above 10ppm to 20ppm then I know its time for another water change within that week. I use it as a force to keep me on the ball about changing water.
 
Even if I do daily h20 changes I cant keep my nitrates below 15ppm. Is this normal? After a week without changes they are in the 40-60ppm range. I also have alot of brown algea and I heard they are related. Not to hijack a thread but what is going on with me?
 
I could be wrong but it sounds like you could be over feeding and therefore putting too many nutrients in your water causing algae blooms and nitrate spikes. Try feeding less and maybe more filtration and more often cleaning your filters.

Hope some of that helps :)
 
DeLgAdO said:
the gills turn brown too right? and "stubby"?
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Yes at later stages, many areas have water coming from the tap in the 10-15 ppm range
 
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